Ferrari can go for the constructor title according to Carlos Sainz
After several difficult Grand Prix, Ferrari seems to have regained performance since the resumption of the season. Its victory in Italy has given it ambition, as well as to its drivers like Carlos Sainz, the Spaniard even estimating that his team can win the constructors' championship this season.
Could there be a three-way fight for the constructor’s title? While we expected a battle between Red Bull and McLaren for the constructor’s championship until the final race in Abu Dhabi, another contender is emerging: Ferrari. After tough weeks for the prancing horse brand, following Leclerc’s victory in Monaco, the team seems to be back on track, as evidenced by their excellent result at Monza, with Leclerc finishing first and Carlos Sainz fourth. This result brings them just 39 points behind the leader, Red Bull. Carlos Sainz believes this gap can be closed before the end of the season, with the Spanish driver describing the competition with his former team McLaren at Monza as a real challenge, especially in the race.
A pace very close to McLaren’s in Italy
In Italian territory, Ferrari wanted to make a strong impact. For this, it introduced a multitude of evolutions to make the car more performant and bring it closer to McLaren and Red Bull. Despite encouraging results during the free practice sessions, the qualifying rounds were disappointing for the Italian team, which had to settle for fourth and fifth positions, behind the two McLarens and Russell’s Mercedes.
However, the drivers were optimistic, aware that the car is performing much better in races this season. A trend that was confirmed during the race, with the Ferraris keeping up with the McLarens, especially Charles Leclerc. Eventually winning the Grand Prix thanks to a one-stop strategy, the Monegasque driver allowed his team to gain points on their rivals and reduce the gap with Red Bull.
New developments that seem to be working.
For his teammate, the recent improvements made by the team will allow Ferrari to continue to perform well during the upcoming rounds of the season. “Based on the [Italian GP], we were in a real race with the McLarens, and the slipstream made a small difference,” Sainz told the media, including RacingNews365.
« It’s crucial for the constructors because we were the team with the most points scored (Ferrari taking 37 points against 34 for McLaren). There is therefore a great chance, not only of winning more races during the year, but also of fighting for the constructors’ title. I think that if we manage to be fast on other circuits, it will be a close competition with McLaren and Red Bull. » The future Williams driver remains nevertheless cautious, explaining that the upcoming races will give a true indication of the car’s pace compared to other teams and that Monza’s performance is due to the specificity of the track.
« I think I lost motivation around the 15th lap when they made a pit stop, and I could feel how slow it was without it,” explained the Spaniard, noting the difference in pace with the McLarens once he no longer had that extra power on the straights. « Then they formed a train of three cars, and I found myself in the middle of nowhere, but I really think we were racing with the McLarens, which was great to see.
A delay that is reduced compared to McLaren and Red Bull.
« At the same time, it’s Monza and Monza is very specific, so we have to wait and see on more conventional circuits if this improvement has really changed our season and if we will be fighting for victories from now on or if we will take a step back.
» In the meantime, Ferrari recovered three points from McLaren and 25 from Red Bull at Monza, and now moves more confidently towards the upcoming races, hoping to have the same success to win the team championship at the end of the season.
